I'm in the market for a new (to me) truck, and am trying to decide between an extended cab with a 6.5 ft bed, or a SuperCrew (quad-cab) with a 5.5 ft bed. I'm hoping that those of you who have had a 5.5 ft bed could tell me how you liked it? Does the extra foot on the regular extended cab's really make a difference?

Yes, I know it's personal preference and I should test drive and all that, but I can't "Test Drive" for a month to really get a feel of the difference in bed length.

8 foot or die. The ability to put full sheets in the back and slam the gate will get you in the end. I went from a Toyota 4X4 that I loved and thought was fine to a full size Ford a few years back. Not that happy with the ford but I love the full bed. This thing hauls full pallets of mulch or full size lumber. Being a DIY guy I find it indispensable.

I have an F150 Super Crew with the 6.5 bed - has not slowed me down in hauling anything full sheets of ply, drywall, lumber etc - 1 ratchet strap will keep sheet goods in the truck. Would definitely recommend the bed extender (I have the metal tubing which flips out - not sure how the new ones work out though) - very helpful for getting mulch etc. My truck became the family daily driver - part of the reason I have 45K miles on a 18 month old truck - so if that's a possibility in your family go 4 doors.

This would be my boat tower, my daily driver, and my DIY material getter. I would not need a tool box in it. I'm thinking I will be going with a Ford F150, mainly because there are far many more available in our area with less than 60K miles for around $15k. The similar Chevy's with <60k miles are all around the lower to mid $20k's.

I've been trying to find a SuperCrew w/ 6.5 ft bed, but they are all pretty spendy. For now it seems that I will have to go with the Extended Cab w/ 6.5 ft OR Super Crew w/ 5.5 ft. Maybe I will get lucky and come across a Super Crew w/ 6.5 ft bed, but it doesn't look promissing.

Jim, do you think if you were to have a 5.5 ft bed you'd be just as happy?

You caused me to question my measurements - I have the 5.5 bed - tailgate down it is 7.5 total length - no problems at all. I have an 08 4x4 which is an on-the-fly electronic transfer - generally speaking about 95% of the time I am actually in 4x2. Have not had any problems with not being able to haul stuff which has included 2 yds of hardwoord mulch at a time. I hvae the 5.4 triton gas engine - gas mileage is not the greatest roughly 15-16 in suburbs. Highway is 17-18 - but I don't drive the most fuel efficiently (75 on the interstate) and have only hauled my MB on short hauls so have not paid much attention to mileage when towing the boat.

I had a Chevy Avalanche for about 5 years and loved it's ability to extend the bed when needed. I only used the "mid-gate" a handful of times but it was nice to be able to have that option if and when I needed it. I would highly recommend an Avalanche if you are looking at crew cab trucks. An Avalanche rides so nice compared to a pickup and you get the toolboxes built in on the sides, a hard tonneau cover that locks as well as the locking tailgate so you can put whatever you want in the bed and lock it up. If you are dead set on a pickup, I understand and I honestly think you won't miss that extra foot in the bed at all. I now have a '07.5 crew cab duramax with the 6.5' bed and I don't feel like I've gained anything in the hauling department.

Good luck with your search and make sure you post up pics of the new truck when you get it!

I have 02 F150 Crew with 5.5ft bed. I love it. Love the extra room in the cab. the bed has the extender to help if you have to haul longer stuff. I would defiantly lean to wards the Crew cab. the interior space has been more valuable than the bed space.

Super Crew and a 5.5 box is my favorite. I get to pick out a new truck every six months and pretty much always go with that configuration. I currently have the 6.5 bed and to be honest I don't really notice much of a difference between the two. I suppose I have to pull a little further in the garage and parking lots are a little tougher but those are negligible things. Price wise there should be no difference between the two.

I just bought a 99 F-150 extended cab with the 6.5 ft bed. Honestly, it's nice to have the 6.5 footer but I would have sacrificed the 1 foot of bed to have 4 full doors. I usually drive by myself but when I have friends in the truck it's annoying having to remember to shut the back(suicide) door before the front one. I'm a college student so a crew cab wasn't even close to the budget. There is at least a 3-4k premium to get a crew cab in the Wisconsin area for a 1997 - 2003 body style.

I have a 02 f150 supercrew w/the 5.5ft bed. The extender is waste of time that is factory, I don't take it with me to get lumber as I end up taking it off and putting it on top of the sheets. That truck has been real good to me, 235, xxx miles, I used to run hot shots for the chem plants with it.

If I have a choice between a ext cab or supercrew - I go supercrew, ALWAYS.

Now I have f250 supercrew with a short box, 6.5ft and that is my daily driver, tower, hardware store truck! Hands down - 3/4ton is the way to go!

2005 Nissan Titan crewcab, waiting for my 2010 Tundra Crewmax to arrive. With a family I use the bigger inside backseat way more than hauling. So for me the longer bed is way less important than the bigger backseat. Another vote for cewcab 5.5' beb.

Another vote for the 4 full doors. 07' Nissan Titan Crewcab. So much easier and comfortable for hauling family and friends. I can haul everything I need to with the short box. For our needs, the extra room in the cab was worth sacrificing the extra foot of tailbed.

I just bought the new ram fro this reason. I could get the 4 full doors, a lot of back seat room and ability to have easy access for a baby seat and adults in the back and not sacrafice the smaller bed. I just got the extended cab and it was one of the only ones that would comfortably have a rear faceing child seat and room fro a full size adult in the back with no problems at all.

I have an 05 F150 supercrew with the 5.5 and it suits me fine. All depends on what you think your going to be putting back there. If it's just the odd dump run or a couple sheets of ply once in a while a 5.5 will be just fine. Only time I could use a bit more space is when going away on holiday's or something to load the back up, but when you are pulling a boat you can put the extra in there. Plus having 4 doors is a huge bonus.

I'll add a vote for the Avalanche. I bought one when they came out, and used the mid gate a lot. The only issue that I ever had was hauling items that were quite tall, but longer than the bed, in which case I'd just make sure that it was properly tied down.

I don't think that you'll miss the extra 1' between the 5.5' and the 6.5' boxes. I have a 6.5' box, and certainly wouldn't be upset if it was a foot shorter. That said, I do miss the 1.5' between the 6.5' and the 8' bed, especially when hauling building materials in the rain.

After having 4 full doors on my F250, I will not go back to a regular extended cab. As for the 1' of bed difference. You can close the tailgate on either of them with a full sheet of plywood so thats a negligible difference. I would make sure any toys you plan to haul fit to your satisfaction though.

With a toolbox on a 5.5ft bed, I doubt my 4wheeler would fit even with the tailgate down. At the very least it would be close.

Another Avalanche owner, and love it. I use the truck with the midgate open more often than closed. It's a great truck for towing the boat up a slick boat ramp, tow the quads into a snowy trail head, haulin the dogs in the back, the ability to lock up all your gear inside or go to dinner with 5 of your friends.

I have an 01 Supercrew. 5.4L 4x4 125,000+ miles. Tows my wakeboat pretty good even with larger tires and no gear change, but I live in a flat area. I love the 4-doors. I struggled with the same thing you are when I was looking at this truck, can I live with a 5.5 ft bed and yes I can, especially to have 4 doors. 4-5 adults in the truck, boat gear, gas boards, etc in bed and tows but just fine. If you plan on taking anyone other then small kids in the second row seats, get a Supercrew!

Have an '07 GMC Sierra Crewcab 4x4 with the 5'8" bed length. It works just fine for me whether hauling camping gear or 4x8 sheets of whatever, just use straps. The only hindrance has been i wanted one of those lightweight popup campers for camping and that's a no-go as it's too short to fit anything unless it hangs way out the back.

I had a 2006 Crew Cab Duramax with the 6'5" bed and stepped down to a 2009 Chevy Crew Cab with a 5'8" bed and love that it fits in the garage, makes parking the boat in the warehouse easier. So far no draw backs. Not sure what part of the country you are in but my dealer had a couple of left over 2009 in the mid $20K to upper range. I just looked only 1 2009 left should be able to get in in the $35K range, I know it's a little high but is has the 6.2 liter. Or here is a 2010 http://coughlinauto.cms.dealer.com/n...aaf6876967.htm